University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
DUQUESNE
Late Tally Lifts Duquesne Past Richmond In Women's Soccer
10/07/2007 | Women's Soccer
Oct. 7, 2007
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - A goal with less than three minutes remaining in regulation was the difference as the Richmond women's soccer team fell to Duquesne, 2-1, at First Market Stadium Sunday afternoon.
Richmond's Kristen Stalter had struck for the dramatic equalizer in the 78th minute, capping a furious rally by the Spiders to tie the game with the visiting Dukes playing short-handed.
Stalter took a long pass up the seam from Nora Mann, and with a flick of her foot, volleyed the ball past the Dukes' keeper from close range. Her first goal of the season came minutes after she was moved up to a forward position, in response to the Dukes' red card.
"I felt good about our backline with them playing a man down," said Richmond head coach Peter Albright. "Kristen has some offensive skill, we moved her up front and it paid off. It was a lovely goal."
Minutes before Stalter's goal, Duquesne's Shelley Esposito was issued her second yellow card and was disqualified. It forced the Dukes to play the balance of the match with 10 players. Three Duke players, along with the head coach were booked with cards.
But Duquesne's (6-4-0, 3-1-0) Audra Mathews answered Stalter's goal 10 minutes later to deal the Spiders' (3-7-2, 2-1-1) their first conference defeat and snap the two-match winning steak. Mathews dribbled into space and ripped a bullet to the far corner from 35 yards out past a diving Kate Hudson.
"It's disappointing. This was a tough result today," said Albright. "But you have to credit Duquesne. They won it on a great goal and were a player down."
Shannon Rengers put the Dukes on the board first in the 43rd minute as she volleyed a Samantha Kaiser pass past Hudson from close range.
Richmond owned a 16-11 advantage in shots and forced Duquesne keeper Brittany Findley to make four saves. Hudson made one.
The Spiders are back on the road next weekend with a pair of key Atlantic 10 matches at Saint Louis (Friday) and Charlotte (Sunday).
